Follow-up type servomotor



March ll, 1952 J. w. RomNs FoLLow-up TYPE sERvoMoToR Filed Feb. 14. 1947 2 Simms- SHEET 1 m 4Z rk! fr awww a f l/m M vM// M M r 9 /\K/w. Efwwmw a 2 m @M E, if. 1 @fr m T w @LCL m w nne'ntor:

JOHN W. ROBINS March 1l, 1952 J. w. RoBlNs 2,588,988

FOLLOW-UP fryi: SERVQMOTR 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed Feb. 14. 1947 r :Snnentor:

- JOHN VV. RolN (Ittorneg.

Patented Mar. 11, 1952 FOLLOW-UP TYPE SERVOMOTOR John W. Robins, Westwood, Mass., assignor to Mason-Neilan Regulator Company,

Boston,

Mass., a voluntary association of Massachusetts Application February 14, 1947, Serial No. 728,644

2 Claims.

This invention relates to positioners for use in connection with valves or other devices Wherein a diaphragm or equivalent means is operated by a compressible :duid to actuate a member, such as a valve plug or the like, throughout a selected range cf movement in response to variations in fluid pressure over a given range of pressure change.

Positioners to which this invention relates are commonly used in connection with diaphragm operated valves to establish a valve lift which is substantially directly proportional to the value of a controlling fluid pressure as governed by an instrument, which in turn is responsive to changes in the Value of a condition under control. As is well known to those skilled in the art, Valves which are operated by a compressible fluid, such as air, can not always be depended upon to respond with a high degree of accuracy to changes in the operating pressure owing to various factors, among which are friction associated with the operating parts of the control valve, olf-balance pressure on the valve plug, hysteresis of the diaphragm and spring, and changes in the effective area of the diaphragm within its operating range. It therefore becomes desirable to provide means, unaffected by the factors referred to above, for positioning the valve plug substantially at the precise lift called for by the controlling pressure.

Positioners to which this invention relates operate on the force-balance principle, and in accordance with this principle of operation, a change of fluid pressure delivered by an instrument develops a change of force in a bellows or its equivalent and thereby actuates a pilot valve, whereby a change in operating fluid pressure on the control valve diaphragm occurs. The force exerted by the bellows is resisted by a spring and the change in valve lift, effected by the fluid pressure change on the diaphragm, deflects the spring until the force exerted by the spring balances the force exerted by the bellows. In as much as the pilot valve is'capable of varying the diaphragm operating pressure throughout its range, the valve plug will be forced to assume the correct lift regardless of such factors as friction and hysteresis referred to above. Thus the change in valve lift is necessarily directly proportional to the change in initial pressure.

The accuracy of a positioner whichfunctions on the force-balance principle is dependent upon the accuracy with which opposed forces come to balance. It will be evident that if in the operation of the positioner mechanism, anoutside factor, such as friction, enters into the forcebalance, a corresponding error will be introduced. Thus for precision balancing, the mechanical means by which the parts are made to balance, must be virtually free from friction, and since the deflection of the spring is always proportional to the Valve lift, the error introduced by friction involves only the mechanical means utilized to convert the spring deflection into a proportional force and to bring that-force accurately to balance against the force exerted by the bellows.

Heretofore, so far as known to me, the means utilized to convert the spring deflection into a proportional force and to bring that force to balance with the force exerted by the bellows,` has been such that a friction factor has been So far as introduced into the force-balance. known to me, the spring force has been developed by means of a compression spring which is directly opposed `to a bellows and deflected by a spring engaging member which is in turn actuated by the valve stem. It is understood that the ends of a helical spring tend to rotate as the spring deflects, and unless rotation is prevented, Which has been found to be impracticable in the case of a helical compression spring, the rotation of the spring is altered by frictional forces at its ends. In practice, friction results in an intermittent spring rotation, each rotating movement occurring when the accumulated rotational force of the spring issuiiicient to overcome the friction. It will be understood further that the axial force developed by a helical spring is altered when its ends are constrained from normal rotation and a different spring rate results. Thus the axial force exerted by the helical spring at a given deflection varies according to the amount of frictional constraint, and since the axial force developed by the spring must balance the force exerted by the bellows, the valve lift varies from the true position.

It is an object of this invention to provide a positioner which functions on the force-balance principle wherein the source of friction in the force balancing means and the error intro duced thereby is virtually eliminated.

This and other objects and features of this invention will be more fully understood from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: i i

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a fluid-operated diaphragm control valve provided with a posi tioner embodying my invention, portions of the vanve being shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation as viewed from the left of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged front elevation of the positioner with the cover removed;

. Fig. 4 is a top plan view, partly in section, of the positioner shown in Fig. 3; and

Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8 are sections taken, respectively, on the lines -5, 6--6, 1-1, and 8 8 of Fig. 3.

Having reference to the drawings, there is illustrated in Fig. 1 a fluid operated diaphragm control valve Ill which may be of any usual construction and is provided with apositioner II embodying my invention. The valve comprises a body I2, an intermediate I3 to which the body is attached, and a diaphragm casing I4 which is mounted on the intermediate and may be secured thereto in any well-known manner. The valve body includes the usual inlet and outlet connections I5 and I6; a partition I1 defining a control orice I8, and a valve member I9 which cooperates with the control orifice for varying uid flow through the valve. `The valve member I9 may be suitably.' characterized as required, and as herein illustrated, is of the single seated type and is therefore subjected to off balance pressure over at least a portion of its operating range. The intermediate I3 may include a spring barrel 28 on which the positioner II is mounted in a .manner to be described, and the upper end of the intermediate supports the diaphragm casing I4 to which the spring barrel portion is xedly secured.` The diaphragm cas-v ing comprises upper and lower dished members 2| and 2|, respectively, the former being provided With a uid pressure connection 23 into which a pipe 24 leading to the positioner IIv is threaded.

Means for operating the valve member I9 is in the form of a diaphragm 25 which is clamped at its periphery between suitable anges on members 2| and 22 as by bolts 26. The diaphragm 25 and member 2| denne a fluid pressure chamber 21 which issubjected to changes in operating Y pressure as governed by the positioner |I in a manner to be described. A stem 28 serves to connect the diaphragm 25 with the valve member I9. The stem may be connected at its upper end to a diaphragm button 3| and at its lower end may likewise be connected to the valve member I9 whereby the position of the diaphragm, within its operating range, determines the lift of the valve member. The stem 28 extends through a stuffing box 33 in the upper portion of the valve body I2 and is surrounded by a helical spring 34 which is retained between a Spring button 35 and the diaphragm lbutton 3| in the usual manner, the spring button being supported on an adjustment member 36 which surrounds the valve stem and is threaded into a cross member 31 of the intermediate to provide the diaphragm range desired. It will be understood that on an increase of pressure in the diaphragm chamber 21, the spring 34 is compressed and the valve member I9 is moved toward closed position, and that on a decrease of pressure, the opposite occurs.

The control valve I0 maybe used for varying fluid iiow to effect changes in the value of a condition such as temperature, pressure, liquid level and the like, to which an instrument, Vnot shown, of any well-known construction, lis' responsive and is capable of varying a controlling fluid pressure on a basis which is proportional to changes in the value of the condition. As will hereinafter be pointed out, the positioner functions to vary the lift of the valve member I9 in substantial proportionality with changes in the controlling pressure and positions the valve member at substantially the precise position called for by the instrument, unaffected by such factors as friction, hysteresis of the valve spring 34, changes in effective area of the diaphragm 25, off-balance pressure on the valve member I9, and the like.

The positioner II includes a housing 40 and a cover 4| detachably connected thereto in any well known manner. Means for mounting the positioner on the spring barrel of the intermediate consists of a bracket in the form of a plate 43 (see Fig. 4) having forwardly projecting legs 44 each of which is provided with an out-turned flange 45. The plate 43 is adapted to fit against a suitable boss 46 on the spring barrel and to be secured thereto by screws 41, and the flanges Vengage the rear surface of a back plate 48, forming a part of the housing, 'to which they are connected by screws 49'.

As referred to above, the positioner functions on the force-balance principle and the parts directly associated with the force-balance comprise a bellows 50, a spring 5I, means including an angle lever 52 which functions to bring the force exerted by the spring to bear against that generated in the bellows, a pilot valve 53 actuated by the angle lever and an arm 54 for deflecting the spring. Movement of the arm 54 results in a deflection of the spring 5|` on a basis which is proportional to the valve lift in a manner to be described.

The bellows and pilot valve 53 are mounted, respectively, on suitable bosses 55 and 56 which are preferably integral with the housing 40. The bellows 5U is provided with a base 51 having an extension 58 which is threaded into the inner end of a through port 59 in the boss `55, the outer end of the port being connected with a pipe 60 which in turn connects with ra controlling pressure, as may be supplied by an instrument. The pilot valve 53 includes a body 65 having a flange 66 which is mounted on a correspondingly shaped end of the boss 56 and is in pressure tight connection therewith by means of screws 61 and a gasket 68. The pilot valve body 65 has an inlet chamber 69 which connects at one side with an inlet passage 10, communicating in turn with the inner end of a through port 1| in the boss 56, the outer end of said port being Y connected to a pipe 12 to which regulatedrfluid pressure may be supplied from a source not shown. The inlet chamber 69 connects with a pressure chamber 'I3 in the form of a bore, extending through one end of the body,V into the open end of which a closure cap 14 is threaded. One side of the pressure chamber 13 communicates with the pipe 24, in connection with the control valve diaphragm chamber 21, andfor this purpose the body 65 and boss 56 include passages 15 and 16, respectively, the outer end of the latter passage being connected to the pipe. The chamber 13 also communicates with an outlet passage 18 which extends partly through the closure cap 14 along the axis thereof and connects with an exhaust port 19 leading to atmosphere through an extension 88 on the cap anda wall 8| of the body. Thus the pressure chamber 13 is in fluid connection with the supplyY pipe 12, with the control valve diaphragm cham-,- ber 21. and with the atmosphere.

Means for varying iiuid `flow to and from the pressure chamber 13 of the pilot valve through the inlet and outlet passages 69 and 18, respectively, is in the form of a double-seated valve member 85. The overall length of the valve member is somewhat less than that of the p ressure chamber 13. It is provided with coneshaped ends 86 and 81 and is adapted to cooperate with suitable seats at the inner end of passages 69 and 18, respectively. A compression spring `90, retained between the end wall `of ,the pressure chamber and a collar 92 on `the valve member, serves normally to urge the valve member to a position in which the inlet passage 69 is fully open and the outlet passage 18 is closed. A stem 93, disposed axially of the outlet .passage 18, in spaced relation therewith, and projecting through a guide opening 94 at the outer end of the closure cap 14, may be employed `to position the valve member in respect to the inlet and outlet passages. In operation, the movement of the valve member 8S towards the inlet passage 69 simultaneously reduces the flow of inlet fluid to the chamber 13 and increases the ow of exhaust iiuid therefrom, thereby decreasing, the pressure in the pilot chamber and consequently the pressure in the diaphragm chamber 21. When the valve member is moved towards the exhaust passage 18, the opposite occurs, and it will Abe understood that for reasons hereinafter to appear the overall working range of the valve member 85 is relatively minute, in actual practice on the order of .003 inch.

As referred to above, the pilot valve member 85 is positioned by the force-balance mechanism to effect changes of rluid pressure on the control valve diaphragm 25 until the control valve member I9 arrives at the lift called for bythe controlling pressure instrument. Therefore achange of force exerted by the bellows 50, resulting yfrom a change in controlling pressure, must be oifset by a change of force generated by the spring 5|, resulting from a change in spring deflection. And it will be understood that the change innspring deflection must be proportional to the movement of the control valve member |9 if a valve lift which is proportional to the change in controlling pressure, is to be obtained. Thus the spring deflectin'g member 54, which is mounted on a fixed pivot 98, must likewise move on a basis which is proportional to the `movement of the control valve member. To this end, the spring deflecting member 54 is in operative connection with the control valve stem 28 by means of a fulcrum 99 carried by an arm within the casing 4 0, ashaft |0| to which the arm |00 is secured, an arm |02 secured to the shaft |0| which extends through the back of the casing, a link |03, and a link actuating member |04 connected with the valve stem 28. The shaft |0| is mounted in a bearing |06 which is preferably integral with the casing back plate I8. The inner arm |00 is detachably connetedto the shaft |0| by means of a screw I|0. r`lhe outer arm |02 is substantially inparallel with the inner arm |00 and likewise is carried b y the shaft I 0| to which it may be secured in any well known manner. The other end of the outer arm |02 is spanned by a U-shaped end |3 with which the link |03 is provided, the parts beingpierced to receive a pivot pin ||4. The link actuating member |04 has an upturned end (Fig. ,2) pivotally connected at l5 with the link, the other frend being shapedtoengage a portion of the cy lnereal well et the Stem l? against which it may be adleetebly elempee by a plete H6 having eerewe U1 for eeeuring the parte teeether- By this means, the rotative position of the inner arm |00 is varied on a basis which is proportional to a change in ylift of the control valve member I9.

It will be understood that the overall movement of the pilot valve member is fixed and that therefore the rotative movement of the angle lever 52. te be more i'lly described, is likewiee iixed; and it is also understood that the capacity ef the bellewe 5e and the characteristics of the spring. 5|. alec te be mere fully deeeribedI remain tired. Therefore, since .the positioner is adapted for use in connection with control valves of varieue eizee.. each of wheh may have a different lift. an adjustable linkage is required for adapting the -pos't' ner to Avarying overall valve strokes. The positioner embodying my invention is herein shown, `fOr purposes of illustration, for use in connection with valves having strokes from to 3", inclusive. The spring deflecting arm 54 engages the fulcrum 99 which is adjustably mounted in a slot |20 in the inner arm |00.ul The pin 98 `on which the Vspring actuating arm 54 is mounted extends into a boss |2| (Fig. 5) of the back plate 48 andis threaded into the plate as indicated at 9. The `pin makes a sliding fit with a cylindrical portion |22, secured to the arm 54 through which the pin extends, the cylindrical portion being arranged to project through an opening |23 in a leg |24 of the angle lever 52 and being in spaced relation with the wall of the opening for reasons hereinafter to be pointed out. At

its outer end, the pin 98 is reduced to provide a shoulder |25, a washer |26 being received over the reduced end and retained against the shoulder by means of a clip |21 which cooperates with a suitable annular groove |28 at the end of the pin. The fulcrum 99 consists of a spool |29 (Fig. 6) which engages and spans the upper surface |30 or the spring deilecting arm 54. Secured to the spool is a slot engaging member |3| which extends partially through the slot |20 and is adapted to making a sliding t therewith. The outer end of the member |3| is threaded to receive a screw |32 which is surrounded by a. washer |33 and an index member |34 whereby the fulcrum 99 may be clamped at any desired position along the slot. By means of the washer |33, the index |34 is spaced from the side of the arm |00 and is provided with a depending portion |36 (Fig. 3) having an index groove |31 which is adapted to cooperate with suitable indicia |38 spaced at selected intervals along the side of the slot |20. Means for preventing the index plate |34 from turning when the clamping screw |32 is turned to secure the fulcrum 99 at selected positions along the arm |00, is in the form of inturned ears |39 (Fig. 6) which engage the slot |2 0 and make `a sliding iit therewith. Thus while the degree of rotation of the inner arm |00 varies with the overall stroke of the control valve, the degree of overall rotation of the spring deecting arrn 54 may remain constant for different sized `valves having various valve lifts. It will be understood that by setting the fulcrum at a selected indicia |38, the positioner may be adjusted for a valve having -a `corresponding stroke.

While friction entering into the operation of the linkage just described has no effect on the vaccuracy with which the positioner functions since the pressure is varied on the control valve diaphragm until the valve member |9 assumes the correct lift, friction ,entering into the operay balance has a substantial effect on the results obtained, as pointed out above. I have found that friction associated with the functioning of the parts just referred to will vary the valve lift from that called for by the instrument con-I trolling pressure by an amount which is dependent on the value of the friction factor. And in order to eliminate frictio from the operation of these parts, the force bala ce mechanism herein disclosed is employed.

The force balance mechanism is arranged so that the spring is in tension and is constrained against rotation, and the angle lever 52 is mounted on a frictionless pivot |40 in the form of a spring leaf flexure, thereby maintaining a uniform spring rate throughout the spring operating range and transmitting the force of the spring against that of the bellows without intervening friction such as is inherent in the usual bearing type of pivot. And in combination with the angle lever 52, I employ a pilot valve, such as the pilot valve 53, having a relatively minute overall range of movement, whereby the angle of rotation of the lever is infinitesimal and is well within the working range of a spring flexure type of pivot. it being understood that the operating range of a spring leaf fiexure is extremely limited and that if it exceeds this range, distortion occurs resultingV in inaccuracies in pivotal movement and even in breakage. The spring leaf fiexure |40 which may comprise a flat strip of flexible material, is secured at one end to the angle lever 52 and at the other end to a post |4| which is preferably integral with the casing back plate 48. As herein shown, the angle lever is in the form of a sheet metal stamping having an extension |42 at the angle thereof. One side of the extension |42 is bent forwardly, as viewed in Fig. 3, to form one half of a transverse flange |43 (see Fig. 7) on which the fiexure |40 rests, the other half of the flange being provided by an angle member |44 which is riveted at |45 to one side of the extension. A plate |46 serves to secure the leaf spring |40 to the flange |43, the parts being pierced with -suitable holes to receive screws |41 which are threaded into the flange. The other end of the leaf spring is secured to the post |4| in a similar manner, namely, by a plate |48 and screws |49 as shown in Fig. 3. Y

The spring 5| is provided with hook-shaped ends |50 and |5| which are received, respectively, in circular openings |52 and |53 the former being disposed in the end of a leg |54 of the angle lever 52 and the latter in a flattened end |55 of an adjustment screw |56 which is mounted on the arm 54. The adjustment screw |56 is substantially square in cross section (see Fig. 8) and has a loose t in a square opening 8 in a laterally extending ange |51 on the lower end of an extension |58 which depends from the arm 54 substantially midway between the ends thereof. The screw |56 is threaded at the corners as indicated at |09. Means for adjusting the screw |56 to vary the initial tension on the spring 5| and for locking the parts in adjusted position, may be in the form of an adjusting nut |60 and a lock nut |6|. Since the spring 5| is under tension, the hook-shaped ends l| 50 and |5| are bottomed in holes |52 and |53, respectively, and the spring is prevented from rotating as deflection occurs, whereby the rate of a constrained spring is mainform spring rate results. Y

'ro provide the angle lever 52 'with ineens' for 8 engaging the bellows 50 and to combine therewith means for guiding the lever in its plane of rotation and to render it stable in operation. I provide the leg |24 of this lever, at a point intermediate its ends, with an extension |65 having a transversely disposed circular plate |66 secured at the end thereof. The free end of the bellows 50 is sealed by a rigid disc-shaped member |61 having a central recess, formed by an external flange |68, into which the lever plate |66 is received and makes a snug fit therewith. Thus the force of the spring 5| is brought to bear directly against the free end of the bellows 50 and the bellows assists the leaf spring |40 in restricting' the angular movement of the lever plane of rotation.

The outer end of the angle lever leg |24 is in operative engagement with the stem 93 of the pilot valve and for this purpose has a laterally disposed stem engaging ange |10 which is preferably integral with an extension |1| provided on the leg. Since the leverage arm of the stem engaging portion |10 is substantially twice the length of the leverage arm of the bellows engaging plate |66, the pilot valve is exceedingly sensitive to small changes of controlling pressure in the bellows 50. As a safety factor, to prevent the spring leaf exure |40 from becoming distorted by deflection beyond its elastic limits, I mount the pivot pin 98 of the arm 54 in the opening |23 in the angle lever leg |24, as referred to above; the cylindrical portion |22 of the spring deflecting arm 54 being spaced from the wall of the opening to permit the lever -to have sufficient movement to provide the overall travel required for the pilot valve member jb'ut to limit the counter-clockwise rotation of the lever at a point which is well within the working range of the spring leaf fiexure.l Excessive movement in the opposite direction under the influence of the spring 5| is prevented by the engagement of the stem operating flange |10 with the pilot valve cap 14. The aforesaid construction also serves 'to prevent the spring leaf flexure from becoming damaged during assembly and shipment. By reason of :the mechanical advantage referred to and the relatively small movement required to actuate the pilot valve member throughout its operating range,`the angle of rotation of the lever is so small as to be negligible.

I regard the construction just described as an important feature of my invention. By reason of the almost negligible movement of the angle lever the use of the leaf spring |40 is not only made possible but the force exerted by the bellows 50 and the force developed by the spring 5| produces a resultant force which remains substantially along the diagonal of a force parallelogram. And since the force of the bellows and that of the spring remain proportional at all times, the direction of the resultant force remains fixed changing only in magnitude. And since the spring nexure |40 is mounted onpa plane which is coincident with the resultant force, the spring flexure is subjetced to tension only and an accurate force-balance, unaffected by friction or other error introducing factor, is provided.

In operation, assuming that the control valve is employed in connection with anA instrument to to its selected vary fluid flow affecting the value of a conditionY to which the instrument is responsive, when the value of the condition increases, the controlling pressure is increased by the instrument in propor; tion thereto and the increase in pressure is Vconimunicated to the bellows 50 through the pipe 60 and the port 59. The bellows thereupon expands and turns the angle lever 52 counter-clockwise to permit the pilot valve member 85 to move towards the exhaust port and away from the inlet port 69 by a corresponding amount. The resulting increase of pressure in the pilot chamber is communicated, through the passages 'i5 and 16 and the pipe 24, to the casing chamber 2l and the diaphragm 25 moves the control valve member I9 towards its seat. As the valve stem 28 moves down, the link actuating member' |94 and link |03 move with it thereby rotating the outer positioner arm |02, shaft 10| and inner arm 100 counter-clockwise (Fig. 3). The spring deiiecting arm 54 is turned clockwise by the fulcrum 99 on a proportional basis and the spring El is extended until the increase in force comes to balance with the additional force generated in the bellows 50 as a result of the rise of controlling pressure. The angle lever 52 is thus turned clockwise to its normal force-balance positionand the pilot valve member 85 is returned to neutral thereby arresting the movement of the control valve stern 28 when the valve member I9 is positioned substantially at the precise lift demanded by the controlling pressure. On a decrease of controlling pressure the opposite occurs.

Having herein described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a positioning device for a regulating means having a fluid pressure motor and a control member actuated thereby, the combination of a pressure responsive element for connection with a controlling pressure, an arm actuated by said motor and movable proportionally therewith, a tension spring connected at one end with said arm, a lever to which the other end of said tension spring is connected, means operatively connecting said element with said lever, a support, a spring leaf flexure rigidly connected to said support and rigidly connected to said lever at a point between said spring connection and said element connection, said spring leaf ilexure having its longitudinal axis substantially in coincidence with the line of resultant force exerted by said element and said tension spring, and a pilot valve in operatve connection with said lever and having a `10 passage for communication with a source of iluid pressure for varying iiuid pressure from said source to said motor.

2. In a positioning device for a regulating means having a fluid pressure motor and a control member actuated thereby, the combination of a bellows having an end wall exerting a force proportional with a controlling pressure with which the said bellows is adapted to be connected, an arm actuated by said motor and movable proportionally therewith, a tension spring connected at one end to said arm, an angle lever having a leg to which the other end of said tension spring is connected and a leg with which the end wall of said bellows is in engagement, a spring leaf ilexure on which said lever is suspended having a rigid connection with said angle lever substantially at the vertex thereof and having a relatively limited working range of ex affording to said angle lever a correspondingly limited range of movement, the longitudinal axis of said flexure being substantially in coincidence with the line of resultant force exerted by said bellows and said tension spring. and a pilot valve in operative connection with a leg of said angle lever, said pilot valve having a passage for communication with a source of fluid pressure for varying fluid pressure from said source to said motor and having a relatively minute working range of movement which is less than the limited range of movement of said lever, whereby the direction of the resultant force is substantially xed, said force changing only in magnitude.

JOHN W. ROBINS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,261,090 Zisterer Apr. 2, 1918 2,107,976 Blasig Feb. 8, 1938 2,264,262 Erbguth Nov. 25, 1941 2,298,112 Edwards Oct. 6, 1942 2,382,941 Moore Aug. 14, 1945 2,408,685 Rosenberger Oct. 1, 1946 

